Beer + Yoga: Experts say mixing the two is not a good idea for your health
Yoga enthusiasts are going crazy about this fitness trend. But health experts say it’s just a gimmick to draw attention.
Who knew that the key to attaining nirvana (enlightenment) for yogis was beer? Yes, you heard that right. You just need a chilled mug of beer to transcend to a higher consciousness. Before we give you the lowdown on what experts really think about this popular trend, let’s tell you what the trend is:
Decoding Bieryoga
A movement called ‘Bieryoga’ was started in 2015 in Berlin, Germany, by yoga practitioners Emily and Jhula. Their philosophy, as listed on their website ( http://bieryoga.de/english/) ,is that “We take the philosophies of yoga and pair it with the pleasure of beer-drinking to reach your highest level of consciousness”. And they define the concept as “BeerYoga: the marriage of two great loves – beer and yoga. Both are centuries-old therapies for body, mind and soul. The joy of drinking beer and the mindfulness of yoga complement each other, and make for an energizing experience”.
The take off
The trend may have started in 2015, but it really took off this year in January 2017, when it started to spread to Europe, Asia and Australia. The practice has gained momentum in countries such as Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.
Expert Opinion: It’s a marketing gimmick and it’s unhealthy
“After hot yoga and aerial yoga, its beer yoga that has come up. It’s just another method to get new customers into yoga. The only thing it does is that it offers you a break from your routine workout. There is no health benefit to it. Imagine doing a Surya Namaskar and sipping beer ! Sounds ridiculous! This practice is for people who love beer and are not into fitness. No doubt you will enjoy this practice, but you will also pile on the pounds and get that beer belly you want to avoid.”- Ashish Gupta, fitness expert
“It’s another marketing gimmick to make yoga popular and get people into it. It’s contradictory. Yoga is supposed to increase your consciousness, whereas, drinking beer lowers it. Alcohol makes you sleepy. And you are suppose to do yoga on an empty stomach.” – Amaresh Ojha, fitness expert
“Well, you are not going to lose weight doing beer yoga. It’s true that drinking beer makes you more relaxed so people who don’t like yoga might enjoy. Beeryoga is more like an opportunity to socialize and relax, rather than actually do yoga. Yoga is an ancient and serious practice.”- Akshay Verma, fitness expert
